Vikings' Bryant gets Mount St. Mary's scholarship

November 13, 1992|By Gary Lambrecht | Gary Lambrecht,Staff Writer

Kris Bryant, The Sun's 1991-92 All-Metro Girls Basketball Player of the Year who underwent knee surgery four months ago and wondered which college would pursue her in light of her injury, got her answer this week.

Bryant will attend Mount St. Mary's College in Emmitsburg on a full basketball scholarship.

"When I went up there two weeks ago for a visit, the people, the coaches, everyone was so nice to me, and I've heard nothing but good things about them," said Bryant, who expected to sign a letter of intent by today. "I'm really excited about it."

It has been a year of ups and downs for Bryant, a 6-foot senior forward at Mount Hebron.

The year began with Bryant emerging as the area's premier forward. She led the Vikings to their 12th county championship in 14 years by averaging 14.6 points, a team-high 10.2 rebounds and setting a school record with 56 percent shooting from the floor. Bryant continued to turn more heads with an excellent performance on Maryland's 16-and-under AAU Junior Olympics team last summer.

But her fortunes took a bad turn in July. Playing in a pickup game in Ocean City, she tore the anterior cruciate ligament in her left knee. She was ruled out for her senior season, and began a projected one-year rehabilitation of the knee. Although Bryant's recovery is going smoothly -- she will begin jogging in two weeks, two months ahead of schedule -- many schools shied away.

"St. Mary's and [the University of] New Hampshire told me they )) were both going to stick by me, and they both made offers," Bryant said. "I like Mount St. Mary's because it's closer to home and it's smaller. And they told me they're not bringing me in to play in my junior and senior years. I'm going to play small forward and play right away."

The basketball office at Mount St. Mary's declined to comment, because it had yet to receive Bryant's signed letter of intent in the mail.

"She'll be able to step right in and contribute, and her family will get to see her play. It's a great matchup," said Hebron coach Dave Greenberg, who counts Bryant as the 20th Hebron player to receive a basketball player during his 15-year tenure.

"She's really a player, and had she been healthy, she would have been tough to get hold of. I think they [Mount St. Mary's] got a steal."